Hay-loading machine.



No. 762,098. A PATENTED JUNE 7, 1904. 8. SMITH.

HAY LOADING MACHINE.

- APPLICATION rmzn JUNE 18. 19 03. no MODEL. a sums-sum 1.

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PATB NTED JUNE 7, 1904.

S. SMITH. HAY LOADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18. 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' no MODEL.

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PATENTED JUNE 7, 1904. 8; SMITH; I HAY LOADING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED mm: 1a. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W/7'NE8S8.' INVENTOR I V A7709 Patented June '7, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL SMITH, or WEEDE, MONTANA.

HAY-LOADING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 762,098, dated June 7, 1904. Application filed June 18,1903. Serial No.'161,994- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, SAMUEL SMITH, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Weede, in the county of Fergus and State of Montana, have invented a new and Improved Hay-Loading Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to hay-loading machines; and it consists substantially in the construction, organization, and combinations of parts hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide ahay-loading machine which is thoroughly effective and reliable in operation and which comprises but few parts not easily broken and not liable to get out of order.

A further object is to provide a machine of 7 this character which is simple in construction and organization and which is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, besides being easily controlled in the field and possessing the capacity for long and repeated service.

A still further object of the invention is to overcome numerous disadvantages and objections frequently encountered in the use of many machines hitherto devised for a similar purpose and also to reduce the cost of operations and to provide for theready propulsion of the machine over the field or surface from which the hay is tobe gathered.

The above and additional objects are attained by means substantially such as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a hay-loading machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a part longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, and Fig. 4 is a detailperspective view, showing a portion of the specially-constructed elevator-band employed in the machine.

Preliminarily to a more detailed description it may be stated that in the form of my improvements herein shown I employ a hayloading machine comprising elevator devices of special construction and operation, and I employ special means for enabling said devices to be readily located in operative position within the machine and again removed therefrom whenever desired, it being here mentioned that the machine is preferably propelled bymeans of a wagon or similar vehicle into which the hay is to be loaded, suitable connections being provided between the two. I also employ specially-constructed gathering devices for the hay, as well as effectively-operating feed devices for delivering the material to the elevator devices, each set of the severally-enumerated devices being provided with means for adjusting, regulating, and controlling the same, and while I- have herein represented my improvements in a certain preferred embodiment, it will be understood, of course, that I am not limited to the precise details thereof in practice, since immaterial changes therein may be resorted to coming within the scope of my invention.

Specific reference being had to the drawings by the designating characters marked thereon, 1 represents the body of a wagon or similar vehicle having rear supporting-wheels 2, and 3 represents the axle of a pair of'tractionwheels 4, said axle having mounted thereon near each end and to the inner side of the adjacent one of said traction-wheelsthe lower end of the shorter arm 5 of an angle-lever, the longer arms 6 of these levers extending upwardly and forwardly on either side of the body 7 of my improved machine. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) Fitted to the inner side of each of said levers at the angular portion thereof is an angular bearing-plate 8, said plates being connected by a rod 9, extending transversely of the body7 of the machine beneath the lower end of said body, the latter being secured in any suitable manner to the upper parts 10 of said plates, as by bolts 11, (shown in Fig. 2,) it being understood that the said shorter arms 5 of the angle-levers are movable on the said axle 3. The upper ends of the longer arms 6 of said angle-levers areconnected across the upper part of the body 7 by means of a rod 12, (see Fig. 1,) and one of said arms is connected at 13 (see Figs. 1 and 3) to a hand-lever 14, pivoted at 15 to the side of a plate 16, attached in turn to the side of the body 7, (see Fig. 1,) said hand-lever being provided with an auxiliary or locking lever 17, the lower end of which engages with an arc series of teeth 18 on the upper edge of said plate, and it will thus be seen that the rearward lower end of the machine may be elevated or lowered relatively to said axle 3 and secured in the adjusted position thereof. Mounted between the sides of said body7 at the lower end thereof and in suitable bearings therefor are the ends of the shaft of a roller 19, and similarly mounted in bearings 20 (see dotted lines, Fig. 3) at the upper or forward part of the machine is a roller 21, one end of the shaft of the roller 19 being provided outside of the body 7 with a sprocket-wheel 22, the teeth of which are engaged by the links of a sprocket-chain 23, which also engage with the teeth of a sprocketwheel 24, mounted on the axle 3, said chain passing around and engaging with the teeth of an idle sprocket-wheel 25, mounted at the rearward end of a lever 26, pivoted at 27 to the side of body 7 and provided at the other end thereof with a weight 28, these laterallydescribed elements constituting tension devices for said sprocket-chain, as is apparent. The links of this chain also engage with the teeth of a sprocket-wheel 29, carried on the corresponding end of the shaft of a roller 30, said shaft being carried at the lower ends of arms 31, having their upper ends pivoted at 32 to the outer sides of said body 7. (See Fig. 3.) The end portions of the shaft of this roller are adapted to be raised or elevated between the sides or edges of corresponding curved slots 30, formed in the opposite sides of the body 7, the purpose of which will be presently explained. The said roller 30 is normally in proper alinement with a companion roller 33 therefor at the upper or forward end of the machine, this roller being mounted in slidable bearings 34, working in suitable provided on the body 7,and passing over guides said latter roller and the roller 30 are a plural ity of endless belts 35, (see F ig. 1,) which are properly spaced apart by means of corresponding rings or collars 36 on said rollers. Each of said belts is provided with a series of teeth 37, which are curved upwardly at 38, said teeth being arranged at proper intervals and in longitudinal alinement, as shown, and each one of them being fitted to its belt by means of a curved shank 39, passing through the material of the belt, said shanks being adapted to be received in circumferential grooves 40 (see dotted lines, Fig. 2) therefor in the surfaces of the rollers 30 and 33 as the said belts are caused to traverse said rollers. In passing around the said roller 30 each of said teeth is thrown partially outward, as indicated'at 41, Fig. 2; but the relative position thereof is practically maintained in virtue of the guide for its shank afforded by the sides of the said groove '40, in which the shank moves, and, being assisted by the material operated upon, the tooth is restored to proper position on the belt as the same passes beneath and beyond the said roller 30, as will be readily understood. Each of the collars 36 on the said shaft 30 is provided circumfercntially with a series of curved carrier-teeth 42,- and passing around the said rollers 19 and :21 is a band 43, (see detail view, Fig. 4,) comprising duplicate endless sections 44, of flexible material, which are provided on their outer surfaces with angularly-disposed strengthening-strips 45, tending also to prevent curling of the material of the sections, while located between the inner edges of said sections is an endless sprocket-chain 46, which is made practically rigid with the sections by means of fastening devices 47, connecting links thereof with selected ones of said strips 45. The links of this sprocket-chain are engaged by the teeth of sprocket-wheels 48 and 49, located centrally of the rollers 19 and 20, respectively, and it is in this way that the band 43 is operated The upper end of the machine is provided at 50 and 51 with hinged sections for enabling access to be had to the rollers 21 and 33 or to the different traveling belts 35 or band 43 for the purpose of removal of either of them, and in virtue of the movability of roller 30, as well as the bearings for the said roller 33, it

is apparent that provision is bad against breakage or dislocation of any of the operative parts, due to crowding of material between the said belts 35 and the band 43.

Located between the sides of the body 7 above and inwardly with respect to roller 30 is a transverse box 52, which is secured in position by meansof bolts 53 entering the ends thereof, and fitted to said box at-proper distances apart are the upper end portions of curved rake-teeth 54, the lower ends of which move along the surface from which the hay or like material is to be gathered. In order to enable said box to be turned to thereby elevate the said teeth from the ground when desired, I provide a hand-lever 55, which may be connected to the box in any suitable way, and attention is called to the fact that each of said rake-teeth 54 has a spring-bearing 56 in the said box to give yieldable action thereto in the operation of the machine.

The forward or upper part of the machine is supported by the rearward part of the 30 serve to carry or deliver the material thus I gathered to the space between the elevatordevices, the latter serving to elevate such ma-v terial to the upper end of the machine,where it is delivered to the wagon-body.

Secured to the upper end of the machine, at the sides thereof, I preferably employ lateral guards 60 for preventing the elevated material from falling off at the sidesof the rear end of the wagon-body, and itiis apparent, of course, that my improved machine may be provided with any suitable form of brace or braces for strengthening the general structure, as well as for preserving the proper relation of the machine to the wagon-body.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A hay-loading machine, comprising devices for gathering the material from the surface of the ground, elevating devices for the material, anddevices for feeding the material to said elevating devices, said elevator being constructed of upper rollers, a plurality of endless traveling belts passing around said rollers, each provided with a series of teeth, lower rollers provided centrally thereof with sprocketwheels, and an endless travelin band passing over these latter rollers, and provided centrally thereof with a sprocketchain engaged by said sprocket-wheels.

2. A hay-loading machine, comprising devices for gathering the material from the ground, elevating devices for the material, and devices for feeding the material to said elevating devices, said elevator being constructed of upper rollers, each provided at intervals with circumferential grooves, a plurality of endless traveling belts passing around said rollers, each provided with teeth. having shanks passing through said grooves, lower rollers provided centrally thereof with sprocket-wheels, and an endless traveling band passing over these latter rollers, and provided centrally thereof with a sprocket: chain engaged by said sprocket-wheels.

3. A hay-loading machine, comprising devices for gathering the material from the ground, elevating devices for the material, and devices for feeding the material to said elevating devices, said elevator being constructed of upper rollers, a plurality of endless traveling belts passing around said rollers, each provided at intervals with teeth for catching into the material, lower rollers provided centrally thereof with sprocket-wheels, and a band passing over these latter rollers, said band being composed of duplicate endless sections and a sprocket-chain secured to the inner edges of said sections, said chain being engaged by said sprocket-wheels.

4. A hay-loadingmachine, comprising duplicate traction-wheels and an axle therefor, duplicate angle-levers mounted on said axle, and provided at the angular portions thereof with brackets, a body mounted at one end on said brackets, and supported with its other end in an elevated position, said levers extending above the body and connected at their upper ends, devices supported by the body for gathering the material from the ground, elevating devices for the material, devices for feeding the material to said latter devices, a

hand-lever and locking devices therefor at tached to one side of the body, and'a connection from one of said angle-levers to said h and- I lever, whereby the lower end of the machine may be raised and lowered.

5. A hay-loading machine, comprising tracgathering the material from the ground, and

,7Q tion-wheels and an axle therefor, devices for elevating devices for the machine, these latter face of the ground, an elevator for the material, and devices for feeding the material to the elevator, said elevator being constructed of a lower endless band and a plurality of upper traveling belts, each provided with teeth looselyconnected thereto so as to be thrown outward away from the belt as the belt passes over one of its supporting-rollers.

7. Ahay-loading machine, comprising devices for gathering the material from the ground, an elevator for the material, and devices for feeding the material to the elevator, said elevator comprising a lower endless band composed ofduplicate side sections and an intermediate chain-section, and a plurality of upper traveling belts, each provided with a series of'teeth loosely connected thereto.

8. A hay-loading machine, consisting of devices for gathering the material from the ground, an elevator for the material, said elevator comprising a lower endless band and a plurality of endless belts, each belt being pro vided with teeth loosely connected thereto, so as to be thrown outward from the belt as the belt passes around its lower supporting-roller, and curved teeth on the said supporting-roller between the endless belts.

9. ha hay-loading machine, the combination with devices for gathering the material from the ground, of an elevator comprising pairs of rollers, the upper pair of rollers being annularly grooved, a plurality of belts passing around said annularly-grooved rollers and provided with teeth having shanks projecting through the belt, curved teeth on the lower annularly-grooved roller between the said belts, and an endless band passing around the lower pair of rollers.

10. In a hay-loading machine, the combina-' tion of supporting-wheels having a sprocketwheel on their axle, a pivoted and weighted lever, a sprocket-wheel carried by said lever,

a sprocket chain passing over the said sprocket-Wheel and the sprocket-Wheel of the axle, elevator-belts, rollers over which the belts pass, pivoted arms in which the shaft of one roller is mounted, and sprocket-wheels 0n the lower rollers and engaging the said sprocket-chain.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of tWo sub- GEO. W. HANDEL, J. R. UMMEL. 

